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You can’t get lean and ripped over night. The good news is you can’t get out of shape over night either. So when approaching nutrition with a specific goal in mind, don’t let anything distract you from that goal. When you’ve reached that goal, reward yourself with the occasional treat. It’s comforting to know that one slip up is not going to destroy all your hard work. Most importantly, enjoy the different naturally occurring foods that are out there. You won’t see your potential, physical and cognitive, unless you expose yourself and take advantage of the vast array of goodness and nutrients that nature has blessed us with. And don’t forget to #countnutrientsnotcalories

Mornings 9 with Sonya Kruger and David Campbell – Bill Fardous was just 21 years old and weighed 265kg when a doctor told him he only had a few years to live. But now he has completed an amazing body transformation. ‘Mornings’ chats with Bill and his nutritionist, Moodi Dennaoui.

A superfood that has been gaining some popularity of late would have to be cacao. Once frowned upon due to its association with chocolatey desserts, this miracle food is now more likely to be compared to a powerful medicine. Some experts would go so far as saying that cacao is the healthiest food on the planet!

Although that may take some time debating, there is no arguing that cacao is definitely powerful, with a vast array of health benefits. Some of which are yet to be even discovered. Let’s look at some of the benefits this ‘superfood’ has to offer.

If food is your medicine then look no further than cacao. Great at fighting diseases and improving cardiovascular health, cacao has also been shown to reduce the likelihood of cognitive diseases as we age, such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Some doctors believe that this may be due to the way it enhances mood and promotes a sense of positivity due to the presence of chemicals that produce the feel-good chemicals in the brain, serotonin and dopamine. A highly desirable boost for women during PMS and menstruation. If Planet Earth gave us a natural anti-deppresant, this surely would be it.

Now that summer is near you all probably want to know what benefit cacao has on getting you nice and lean. Part of our desire as humans, particularly as the warmer days set upon us, is to look for methods of speeding up our metabolism. Well look no further! Cacao is even more effective at speeding up the metabolism than the substance that we turn to aid in weight loss most often, coffee. Coffee, in the long term, actually has a detrimental effect on metabolism whereas cacao will only ever enhance it! So opt for cacao the next time you want to do your body a service of a fat-burning nature.

Rich in flavour, with a silky texture, and an amazing aroma to match, I’m sure I won’t have to twist your arm to convince you that it’s time you implement cacao into your daily eating routine.

Cacao can be purchased in a variety of different forms these days. As a solid, in the form of cacao nibs, or as a powder. The way I’ve been enjoying it of late is in a powdered form called ‘Dark Chocolate Energy Powder’ by Cocoawell. Not only is the cacao used here Certified Organic Fair Trade Cacao, this product also contains green tea, theobromine and caffeine. Great as a part of a complete breakfast to help get you started in the morning, and fantastic in the afternoon when focus is sometimes a struggle.

So get your daily dose of cacao and protect your cells from disease, improve your mood (Moodi knows all to well about that) and speed up your metabolism to get your body in shape faster this summer!

PS If you normally drink a glass of red wine to ‘set the mood’ when with that special someone, then try cacao. It’s aphrodisiac properties (minus the debilitating effects of alcohol) will surprise you!

You’re probably thinking, ‘well who else would I be eating for?’ Well, you, of course. However I wanted you to think of all the premeditated eating plans that you’ve ever followed. All the fad diets that you’ve attempted. All the unrealistic diets that even the most professional of athletes would find challenging to sustain!

How are you meant to ‘get along’ with your diet if your diet doesn’t know anything about you? YOUR goals, short term and long term. YOUR ambitions. The foods YOU enjoy. The foods YOU loathe. YOUR weaknesses. YOUR level of activity. YOUR vocation. YOUR metabolism. YOUR past injuries and whether they still tend to flair up. The way YOU react to certain foods. Is it any wonder the diet you stumbled across or borrowed from a friend is not working for YOU??

We, as human beings are very unique. We are all individuals. Even twins have different preferences when it comes to food! So how could there possibly be a blueprint on HOW TO EAT FOR YOU? A much more rational approach is one with education as its foundation. With the amount of resources readily available to you I encourage you to educate yourself on the fundamentals of nutrition. Not only through my blogs but through your own research. Read journal articles, books, blogs, read, read and then read some more. Knowledge on things such as the importance of breakfast, what purpose different foods have, what foods compliment one another and how to avoid indigestion (one of the primary causes of fat storage) would be a far more valuable approach on how to eat FOR YOU.

Don’t stop there. Research the different training techniques that are out there. Maybe a couple of yoga sessions a week or 10 minutes of plyometrics is all you need to overcome a physical plateau. Learn about supplements, the different purposes that they serve and the products that would best suit your lifestyle.

Being equipped with knowledge will allow you to not only create an eating plan that serves your purpose, but just as importantly, allows you to make rational decisions when your environment changes. After all, in the developed world that is the rat race we live in, how can ONE DIET that has no room for error or no guidance for that ‘what if I’m not in my kitchen’ scenario ever really be SUSTAINABLE?

So get your spectacles out, channel your inner ‘nerd’ and start reading! For those of you that still insist it is too difficult for you to find the time to conduct your own research, stop your whinging and stay tuned…there will be plenty of education coming your way!

Time will pass whether you exercise or not, so why not use this valuable tool to help better yourself. Exercising not only improves the way we look and feel, but the older I get the more I appreciate the cognitive benefits that are a consequence of exercising. Don’t just go through the motions, but visualise where you want to take your body, establish a mind-muscle connection, and the feel good chemicals that your brain releases as a consequence of physical activity will be heightened beyond your wildest dreams.

I try and practice what I preach, and let’s face it, people don’t contact me to find out where they can get the best tasting pizza so I have to be motivated in order to motivate. I believe as long as you earn a meal everyday, through some form of activity (moderate-high intensity depending on how you are feeling), you will always be in shape. It can be swimming, tennis, yoga or lifting weights. Being active is more important than what you do to stay active. Adding clean eating and some core training 2-3 days a week only helps if you’re seeking a year round six pack. I feel like I am only beginning to find my feet in this industry. Being able to educate the masses is a huge motivator for me to take on more and more.

You can’t get lean and ripped overnight. The good news is you can’t get out of shape overnight either. So when approaching nutrition with a specific goal in mind, don’t let anything distract you from that goal. When you’ve reached that goal, reward yourself with the occasional treat. It’s comforting to know that one slip up is not going to destroy all your hard work. Most importantly, enjoy the different naturally occurring foods that are out there. You won’t see your potential, physical and cognitive, unless you expose yourself and take advantage of the vast array of goodness and nutrients that nature has blessed us with. And don’t forget to #countnutrientsnotcalories.